O-Bon is a Japanese Buddhist festival event that honors the spirits of our ancestors and the deceased. Join us during the magical hours of dusk in the Garden as we pay tribute to the memory of loved ones by lighting incense and watching candles float in the Upper Pond near the Moon Bridge. The evening will include purification sake, chanting of the Lotus Sutra by Reverend Zuigaku Kodachi, and reading names of the recently departed.

In traditional beliefs, the spirits of the ancestors come back to their homes to be reunited with their family during O-Bon from August 13-15. In Japan, candles, lanterns, and other fires are lit to guide the spirits back to the heavens. Tōrō-nagashi, a ceremony of floating lanterns, is celebrated in many regions on the last night of O-bon. Floating paper lanterns are lit with candles and released into a river or the sea to guide the ancestral spirits back to the spirit world.

Throughout Japan, Buddhist services are held at temples and homes during O-Bon to pray for one’s ancestors, particularly those who have died within the past year. This serves as a reminder of the importance of family ties, as a gesture of respect for those who have gone before, and as an acknowledgment of the brevity and preciousness of life as a family.

O-Bon event is a special event gathering for Portland Japanese Garden members only and reservations are required.

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Event Date
August 13 - 14, 2022 (2 Days)

Event Times
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Event Schedule
Check website for exact schedule.

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Portland O-Bon Festival / The Spirit Festival
All Portland Japanese Garden Festival Event Dates 

Obon Festivals & Practices 
All Obon Festivals  All Obon Practices 

See Japanese Event Festivals  
All Japanese Festivals Events

Map of Japanese Festival Event 
See Map Japanese Festivals

Celebrate the Japanese Culture food, performances and dancing.
(Please always confirm date & times, the schedule could change)

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Festival Event Location
Portland Japanese Garden, 611 S.W. Kingston Ave., Portland, OR 97205

Festival Event Title
2022 Annual O-Bon Festival Event - Portland Japanese Garden - We Pay Tribute to the Memory of Loved Ones (2 Days Event)